At the airport the trip finally becomes real.

I am at Prague Airport. Getting here was almost suspiciously easy: a nice day, the road along the Elbe, and the small satisfaction of saving the Czech highway toll.

Prague is not foreign territory for me. After roughly twenty years living in the city, the airport feels less like a puzzle and more like old muscle memory. Finding a cost-free parking spot near the airport was therefore not a heroic travel hack, more Prague autopilot. The exact place stays private, of course.

Now I am sitting here, waiting for check-in. Everything is still Europe: signs, languages, routines. But the green suitcase is next to me, Qatar is on the board, and somewhere behind this queue the real story starts.

From here the plan becomes motion. Still no big photo set, still no Thailand heat, but the feeling is good: I have left.

First impression onboard: Qatar feels calm, friendly and well organised. Doha is already waiting on the screen. Still Prague, but my head has moved to the next leg.